Thursday 13 November 2014

Organized for Christmas Yet?

Every year I plan to be more organized for Christmas - because that is the secret to sticking to your principles of not buying gifts that are not good for the planet, and actually sometimes not even good for the recipient.
That's the secret to having enough time to gift wrap using recycled materials.

We have some people on our Christmas list who are hard to buy for - elderly parents who don't need more stuff, the quite well off who can buy anything they want for themselves, and some living overseas.




This year I have decided to make part of the gifts myself (as I did last year with homemade Christmas cakes). 
I'm going to make pretty jars of this yummy Annabel Langbein antipasto recipe,

Roasted feta, olives, capsicum, garlic, cherry tomatoes


(I've just made some with roasted asparagus instead of tomatoes)....                and jars of home made
orange marmalade



(not the low sugar variety), maybe some rum and raisin truffles




 plus some basket-fillers like crackers and nuts, maybe a little pot of sage (which will hopefully have grown big enough by then).
While I was doing my bulk shopping yesterday, there was a woman in buying ingredients to make her Christmas cakes. The shop owner commented - "it's hard to find time to be home long enough to cook a Christmas cake." 
That's what makes hand made gifts precious - the gift of time, which a lot of people don't have these days.
My friend Diane has just made five of these lovely rayon kimono gowns for all her family's females. They are so lucky!



Do you have any fabulous ideas for keeping Christmas sane -clever presents, gift wrapping or decor that are eco friendly? I'd love it if you share some. 


4 comments:

  1. I love handmade gifts! I don't get many, but I give a lot of them. (I wish I got more). I'm working on boot cuffs right now for my daughters and sister and just finished a photo album for my 1 -year old grandson. It's lots of photos of him, his house, his kitties, his brothers, etc. He loves books and I know he will love this one starring him. Other gifts I have been collecting at charity shops and yard sales over the summer. I've found some great vintage stuff and nice toys for the 5 and 6- year olds.
    That antipasto is going to look so pretty in jars. Yum!

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    1. I don't get many handmade gifts either. Love your album idea Cynthia. The vintage stuff is still around because it was made to last!

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  2. I'm hoping to make most of my gifts this year but, as usual, time is getting away! One gift I'm looking forward to making is a manure tea bag for my gardening loved ones. I'll make them just like a giant tea bag from material to hold the poo and complete with a tag with instructions on steeping in the watering can before use. I think/hope they'll be a hit...

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    1. That's such a useful gift for gardeners, especially those without access to the primary ingredients. Time...it's elusive...giving handmade gifts is a way of bottling it.

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